The Underground Music (Phantom of the Opera Fanfic)

Chapter 15: Butterfly

The White Phantomess...? Ha, that's...that's too much of a coincidence. It can't be...

"In what language?" I countered, hands on my hips, disbelieving. But yet, I wasn't sure myself whether I was truly disbelieving. I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose with one hand, then returned my hand to its position on my hip, ready for an answer.

"It comes from Proto-Celtic. Windo-seibrā...white enchantress, white phantomess."

 How he pronounced those foreign words enchanted me, and as if a spell had been placed upon me...

I believed him.

I was speechless. Then abruptly, he placed his hands firmly and assertively upon my shoulders. With zeal lighting up his eyes from beneath his mask, he said, "Jennifer, this is no coincidence. You and I are meant to make music together. First, you will be my pupil, my prodige. And when you are great enough, then we will truly be equals in music, as we were just a moment ago. I will accompany you, and you will accompany me...Can't you see? We are meant to be a duo. We will enchant the world, you and I...my White Enchantress and I."

I felt my mind re-arranging. I was aware of every neuron, every memory, every attitude, rewiring. 

For several moments of silence, we stood in the moonlight together. As if Erik wasn't spellbinding enough, the moonlight mesmerized me into the moment even further. 

Then in my mind, there was a click. Everything seemed to make sense now. Everything was so clear to me now. Never before have I known the existence of fate. But now, from the dark, fate has shown itself to me, and never have I believed in it more. Never have I felt more dedicated to it.

"I'm meant to sing for you, Erik..." I whispered beneath my breath. 

"No, you are meant to sing with me."

I looked down at the floor, then back up into his eyes. 

I don't know who moved first. But before I knew it, I was in his embrace. His arms were wrapped gently around me, with his hands splayed out on the small of my back, and I felt warm, comforted. I felt like I now had a purpose in life...which I realized was a feeling I had never felt before.

I reveled in the feeling of the touch of his vest's fabric against my cheek. He moved his arms to wrap his cape around me as well. "Phantom..." I breathed. 

He stirred. 

Knowing that my voice was muffled under his cape, I continued. "You...Erik...are much more than a Phantom. You are much more than an Opera Ghost. For the past two years, I've only ever seen and heard you referred to as 'The Opera Ghost' or 'The Phantom of the Opera.' Now I'm privileged to know that they're all wrong, master. But if you'll still be the Phantom, I'll be happy to be the Phantomess."

He chuckled. "I will always be the Phantom. It would be an honor to serve the Music of the Night with you as the Phantomess." He unwrapped his cape from around me, and then picked my chin up with his thumb. 

"May I?" He asked. 

I nodded. 

"But you must close your eyes."

I nodded again.

He bent over, and placed his lips gently upon my forehead- his mask was off. His lips were frightfully dry and cracked, but I would not call the sensation bad. Tears trickled down his cheeks from underneath his mask and to his chin, then dropped onto my skin.  And there we stood, just like that, dowsed in silver-blue light, with particles of dust dancing around, sharing in our joy.